


One Heartbreak Closer (To You)

by imthehotgirl



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety, Bisexual Male Character, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Meetings, Love/Hate, M/M, Misunderstandings, References to Depression, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 21:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20015308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imthehotgirl/pseuds/imthehotgirl
Summary: Evan Buckley (Buck to his friends) lives in a small town in California and has been a waiter at a restaurant that he loves for the past 10 years. His entire world is rocked when not only is his manager making the decision to return to a part time prep cook, but the restaurant he's worked for so faithfully all these years has decided to merge with another eatery in the area. Things only seem to become worse when he's introduced to his new manager...Eddie Diaz.





	One Heartbreak Closer (To You)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, y'all. Let it be known that I have no real knowledge of the restaurant business outside of what I've gathered from the internet searches I've done prior to writing. So, apologies for any blatant errors/mistakes. Fic title take from Hunter Hayes' song: 'Heartbreak'. This one was written for my own Eddie who gave me the restaurant idea. <3 Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this one! :)

Evan 'Buck' Buckley had been in the restaurant business close to ten years, working his way up the ladder, rung by rung. He naturally began as a dishwasher, then moved to busboy and then onto waiter, eventually finding his footing within that position, not only growing to enjoy his job but becoming comfortable with it.

And the people he worked with? They were amazing.

Athena Grant was the General Manager and oversaw everything Buck and his co-workers did while also attending to offsite necessities that would pop up every so often.

Bobby Nash had been the sous chef and manager of his own crew (which for the past ten years had included Buck) for as long as Buck had been a waiter. And Buck more often than not attributed the majority of what he'd learned to Bobby teaching him how to do things. In his opinion he couldn't have asked for a better mentor.

Howie 'Chimney' Han was in charge of handcrafting the desserts that people raved about and specifically came in just to try.

Henrietta 'Hen' Wilson was one of the waitresses, and much like Buck her niche was helping people, just being around them, making sure they were satisfied with the meals they were given.

And Abby Clark... Abby was one of the hostesses and Buck's secret crush. Their bond had been immediate and intense; Buck was grateful for their friendship. The butterflies? Just a hazzard of the job.

The six of them were a very tight unit, a team. Buck referred to them as 'family' whenever he was feeling especially sentimental.

But despite everything seeming to be in order and nearly perfect in his life, Buck still couldn't shake the feeling of unease he felt was looming in the rapidly approaching distance.

**

It all started with Bobby saying he'd discussed things with Athena and he'd become overly stressed due to the managerial position, that he wanted to go back to being a prep cook. Not only that, but a part time prep cook.

"You-you're being demoted?" Buck asked in disbelief, swallowing hard as he struggled to imagine the day when he wasn't interacting with Bobby for a full eight hour shift. The very idea was mindboggling; not to mention depressing.

Bobby let loose a brief chuckle. "I asked for this, Buck. The stressors of the job have really been getting to me lately and the doctors have told me I need to dial it back before my health becomes anymore of a risk than it already has."

Buck's eyes swept the floor, struggling not to let Bobby see the tears of frustration and shock that had begun welling up over the news.

"Yeah...yeah, okay," he mumbled in agreement, finally meeting Bobby's gaze again. The other man flashed him a small smile.

"Don't worry, Buck. Athena and I've already talked it over. The manager that replaces me is going to be a good fit here. Nothing will be decided without my input, all right?" Bobby insisted.

"O-okay," Buck stammered, reluctantly returing Bobby's smile with one of his own. Even with everything in him screaming at him to run away from this change he'd been presented with, Buck dared to hope that maybe things wouldn't be as horrible as he feared.

**

But a month later Athena called him into her office with news that left him reeling, confused and more terrified than he felt he had a right to feel.

"We're downsizing," Athena put it simply.

"What?" Buck choked out, feeling dizzy, lightheaded, at the news. This couldn't be happening. He was about to lose his job.

"Merging actually," Athena continued. "And I've been asked to take on the GM position at this other location. So that means I'll still be your boss if you'll have me. What do you say, Buck? Do you want to be a member of my waitstaff?"

Buck released a breath he hadn't even been fully aware he was holding. "Yes. I'd-i'd love to," he replied readily, the relief he felt upon his answer immediate. And then just as quickly his mind went into a tailspin as he began wondering which of the other employees were being asked to stay on. Bobby?! Abby?! How could he do any of this without either of them?

Athena appeared pleased with Buck's response and told him she'd get back to him with more details soon.

Buck nodded in understanding but felt himself struggling to quell the anxiety he could already tell was trying to overpower him. Logically he knew that right at this very moment he didn't need to be worried about anyone but himself. Not until he got word from the others about where they stood.

Despite knowing that, he couldn't stop thinking that his family was beginning to fracture right in front of his eyes. He really, really needed to get home and discuss things with Maddie. He'd never needed his big sister more in his life.

**

Once Buck got home later that night he stored his bike next to Maddie's car in the garage before entering the house.

"Hey, little brother. Good day?" Maddie asked, giving Buck a bright smile.

"Hardly," Buck mumbled, his limbs beginning to tremble before he managed to collapse onto the couch next to his sister. In a matter of minutes he unloaded the news he had in regards to work.

"Wow. Well, Buck, the good news is you still have a job, hon. We'll figure out the rest as you learn it, okay? Yeah, it's changes, quite a lot of them all at once, I know, but you've still got me and I promise you'll make it through this. You're tough, Evan and I believe in you," Maddie told him.

Buck nodded in understanding at Maddie's words. He ached to find solitude in his room. With the anxiety and frustration building inside him he needed to work through some of his feelings alone, but he was also starving, so in the moment his stomach won out.

"Thanks, Mads," he murmured. "Can we get started on dinner? I'm starved," he asked, giving her a half-hearted smile, feeling a bit better now that he wasn't holding onto as many of his confusing, whirling thoughts as he had been.

"Yeah, come on," Maddie agreed with a chuckle, pulling Buck to his feet.

Following his sister into the kitchen Buck felt some of the hope he'd struggled to hold onto during this nightmare slowly return and he felt like he could finally breathe a little easier.


End file.
